Distance travelled: 10 miles on foot
Day 12: Padrôn to Lugar de Pedreira
Today was our last full day walking before we reach Santiago de Compostela tomorrow, and the end of our pilgrimage. Two weeks of just putting one foot in front of the other; two weeks of carrying on despite the aches and pains accumulated on the way; two weeks of beautiful Portuguese and Galician countryside, of sunshine and rainfall, of the almost constant sound of running water from the streams and waterfalls, ancient pathways, churches and bridges, and two weeks of walking alongside lovely people from all over the world. Indeed, today we were reunited with Wendy, and with Felipe and his mum Ivana, all of whom we met right back at the beginning in Portugal.
But it is not the end of our pilgrimage. Life itself is a pilgrimage, it starts when you are born and does not finish until you take your last breath. Everybody's life is a wonderful, unique journey and so everyone is a pilgrim, moving forward, step by step, through the journey of their life.
So I suppose the big question is how to make the most of that life and how to make it the best journey it can possibly be.
Many people talk about having a purpose in life; leaving their mark, making a name for themself, being remembered.
It is easy to get caught up in the 'competition' that life sometimes feels like. Is your job, house, car, annual holiday, as impressive as other people's? Are you wearing the right clothes, getting that promotion and climbing the corporate ladder?
I have never believed that I have a defining purpose in life - I think that it is unlikely that most people will be remembered after a couple of generations have passed - moreover, I have come to believe that it is 'how' you live your life that is more important; process, rather than purpose.
Walking the camino for two weeks allows your mind to wander. Your feet move automatically, following the yellow arrows, giving your mind the freedom to contemplate, create and even meditate; allowing the everyday sounds of birdsong, running water, footsteps, chatter (in many different languages), occasional traffic and the pitter-patter of rain, to wash over you.
I have come to recognise the similarities between my camino and the pilgrimage of my life, and it really isn't that complicated.
The topography of life is like the topography of the land, ups and downs, good days and worse days. We have to learn to make the best of it all - every day.
I have learned some lessons along the way, and reaffirmed some of my beliefs:
👣 We should expect life to be hard - it is too complicated to be anything else.
👣 You should learn from all of your experiences and try to be a better person through the lessons you learn.
👣 You should look for the good in people; listen to them and try to understand their stories.
👣 Appreciate what you have. We are not all born equal in this world. If you have any advantage you are privileged.
👣 Sometimes you can act to make things better and sometimes you just have to accept the hand you are dealt.
👣 It is important to listen to your body and move towards your own goals at your own pace.
👣 Be proud of yourself and your own achievements.
👣 Do things that make you happy and make the most of the time you have
👣 Take time out for yourself and enjoy your headspace.
This evening was one of our best on the camino. A group of us: two English, one Australian, two Irish, one German and one Swedish, sat for hours over many bottles of wine, talking about ourselves and our countries, politics and religion and what we liked and disliked about the world. What was clear is that it is not ordinary people who are broken; ordinary people want harmony, enjoy debate and are happy to put differences aside and enjoy each others' company. All of us want a better world for our families - our children and grandchildren - we maybe just need to walk a bit further to figure out how to make that happen.
After all, as Nietzsche once said, "All truly great thoughts are conceived when walking."
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